


The Gift

by Fangu



Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-01
Updated: 2013-10-01
Packaged: 2017-12-28 04:30:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/987659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangu/pseuds/Fangu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a lot to find wandering through the bazaars of Rabanastre.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gift

 

The Muthru Bazaar was crowded with people; Seeq, Bangaa, Humes, even Viera, all contributing to the distinct hum of a busy marketplace in a capital like Rabanastre. Laughter, the clinking of glass, loud haggling, a shriek from a Cocatrice or two. Fran thought it the sweetest sound she ever heard.

She picked up on it then, the sweetest _smell_ she ever knew as well.

She came to a halt by one of the stands. At first she was wary, as if the smell represented a kind of danger, but then she did nothing but welcome it.

Balthier came to a halt a few steps ahead of her, noticing the lack of heels behind him.

“Found something?” he asked.

Fran turned to the left, passing a couple of Seeqs arguing over the prize of a dried up Abysteel, the scent growing stronger. The small stand she sought was hidden by their huge frames.

She looked down at the pan on the table in front of her, different kinds of berries and nuts and dried fruit laid out on the red and white table cloth.

The salesman, a Nu Mou, greeted her good day. She nodded back. Balthier stepped up beside her, curious.

“I will answer your question before you speak”, the Nu Mou said. “Yes, they are Silken Nuts. And yes, they are for real, transported all the way out of Golmore, carefully backpacked through the thickest of jungle. Freshly roasted, as you can see.”

He studied Fran’s closed expression. “They are a luxury, but they are surely worth it.”

Balthier looked at Fran, then turned to the Nu Mou. “So how much do these sell for?”

“They unfortunately are a thousand per fold, good sir.”

“I’ll give you three hundred.”

Fran snapped back to life. “Balthier, the money are for upgrades on the ship. I will not have you do this.”

Balthier cocked an eyebrow with that familiar smirk, his eyes a warm shade of green and hazel. “Eight hundred, and not a gil less”, the Nu Mou parried. Balthier turned back to the stand. “Five hundred, and it is my final offer.”

The Nu Mou paused, then looked at Fran. “Fine, all right. I am being robbed this fine day, am I not”, he hummed, then picked up a paper bag for their treat.

The smell grew even stronger as he stirred the nuts. Fran traced his every move. “You are not the first Viera to buy”, the Nu Mou said as he scooped the nuts into the bag. “The more Viera in Rabanastre, the more of these I sell. The smell leads them here, you know. Their ears pricking forward, their red eyes dark with longing. Not uttering a word, of course”. His eyes glinted.

He folded the top of the paper bag over the side, then held it out to Fran with both hands. She accepted it slowly as Balthier handed over the silver coins. “I don’t even find them that peculiar”, the Nu Mou said, before bidding them farewell.

“Open it”, Balthier said as they stood by one of the large stone pillars by the Bazaar. Fran unfolded the top, the scent yet again tickling her nose, sparkling all kinds of wonderful imageries, but good ones, only the good ones.

Carefully she picked out a few select nuts, balancing them perfectly between her claws. Then she slowly held them up to her lips, pushing them into her mouth, chewing them delicately.

“Well?” he smiled.

Gazing at him, she savoured the taste. He had given her more than five hundred gil worth of nuts.

 


End file.
